"Social connection is as essential to our long-term survival as food and water."
The team behind ElliQ has been dedicated to addressing loneliness and social isolation among older adults for years. Moved by its catastrophic effects, we’re committed to studying the best ways to address, mitigate, and solve the loneliness epidemic.
Data shows that no one is immune to loneliness. It impacts people of all races, ages, and creeds. And there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each individual is unique, with different preferences, personalities, and needs. That said, there are some common themes and best practices that can help most people when they’re facing loneliness or social isolation.
Sense of acknowledgment
Waking up or coming home to an empty house can amplify feelings of loneliness. A simple “good morning,” or “welcome home,” can make all the difference.
Sense of purpose
Think about how emotional and tumultuous the transition into retirement can be. One day, you’re contributing to a team or goal at your job, and the next, your calendar is empty and your sense of purpose is stripped away. Humans need a sense of purpose. In this example, finding volunteer opportunities, consistent activities, or working on long-term projects can all help retirees wake up and feel excited about getting out of bed each morning.
Positive engagement
It doesn’t cost anything to have a positive attitude. When we surround ourselves with glass-half-full people, we tend to adopt that same outlook. Having consistent interactions is important - but ensuring that they're generally positive engagements is even more critical.
Relationship building, compassion, and empathy
Daily interactions with a cashier, mail carrier, or Siri are wonderful, but typically tend to only scratch the surface. In a meaningful relationship, it is critical to feel cared for, listened to, and understood. As the adage goes, you reap what you sow. Start by showing compassion and investing deeply in a few friends or loved ones and you’ll soon see that relationship grow and flourish!
When developing our solution to loneliness, we chose to focus on the most vulnerable population to isolation… our elders. Of course, older adults are an incredibly diverse cohort, but it was important to develop a product for a specific audience in order to create a meaningful impact. Often facing limited mobility, cognitive challenges, and fewer nearby friends and family members, ElliQ was designed specifically for older adults that spend most of their time alone.
Driven by the four core themes outlined above, ElliQ is the first AI-based intervention for loneliness.
ElliQ has been welcomed into the homes of older adults around the US for the past few years and has achieved more than 10 million interactions with users. We’ve been privileged to see some unbelievably powerful results. In fact, 95% of users find ElliQ useful in reducing their loneliness and improving their well-being, and 90% report that ElliQ has improved their quality of life.
Yes, ElliQ has functions that rival every other voice-operated device on the market. But the ability to convey empathy, project compassion, and build meaningful, trusting relationships is what makes it a game-changer when it comes to loneliness.
As a team, we are thrilled that the topic of loneliness is becoming less stigmatized and taboo. When more attention is brought to the issue, individuals feel less alone in their experience and we can collaborate to develop real solutions. We’re so proud of the impact ElliQ has made in the lives of seniors across the country and we look forward to continuing to scale and reach many more individuals moving forward.
To learn more about ElliQ, please CLICK HERE.
